


I Want You

by SocialDegenerate



Series: Gladnis Fanwork Bingo [1]
Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Assassin's Festival DLC, Bittersweet, Developing Relationship, Established Relationship, First Dates, First Kiss, Friends to Lovers, Intimacy, M/M, One Shot Collection
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-20
Updated: 2018-11-05
Packaged: 2019-05-26 00:17:50
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,123
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14988635
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SocialDegenerate/pseuds/SocialDegenerate
Summary: Collected self-contained oneshot fills for Gladnis Fanwork BingoLatest:Formal Event (T)“Here,” he said, holding his pile of robes out in Gladio’s general direction. “Make yourself useful.”“Oi, I’m plenty useful,” Gladio laughed, although he took the robes from Ignis’ hand. Even without his sight, Ignis didn’t need help getting dressed, but he loved the intimacy that followed having Gladio’s hands on him, soothing away his doubts and making him feel like someone who could stand in front of the city- and beyond- and be a beacon of strength for the rebuilding efforts.





	1. Assassin's Festival

**Author's Note:**

> So BASICALLY I started a Gladnis Fanwork Bingo that anyone can join in on whenever they want and for however long they want. You can check out all the info [here](http://socialdegenerate.tumblr.com/post/174943810791/i-made-a-gladnis-fanwork-bingo-chart-for-anyone).

“Hey Iggy.”

Jumping slightly and fumbling his key, Ignis managed to dredge up the energy to shoot Gladio a tired smile. “Gladio. I didn’t know you were back already.”

“Figured I’d call it an early night,” Gladio said. Checking him over, Ignis managed to look away from his bare chest for long enough to notice his loose shorts and wet hair. Considering what he’d heard Noctis and Prompto saying about Gladio’s adventures that day, Ignis was honestly surprised that Gladio had beaten him back to the room, much less by long enough to shower.

“After what I heard, I didn’t think you’d be back tonight at all.” Ignis tried his best to keep his tone light and not let too much bitterness seep through, but it wasn’t an easy task. Gladio was unfathomably friendly and an unstoppable flirt, and although Ignis could turn on the charm when it came to dealing with noble assholes, he wasn’t quite as gifted in his personal life.

Still, Gladio laughed and shifted to sit up properly. His long legs were sprawled carelessly in front of him, his exposed skin up to mid-thigh noticeably paler and hairier than the rest of him, and Ignis had to think about anything other than crawling between them and staying there forever. He didn’t think Gladio would particularly appreciate the tenancy.

“Whatever the brats told you, it was a lie.”

“So you _weren’t_ flirting with Cindy?” Ignis asked. Gladio rolled his eyes, drawing one foot in close and making Ignis swallow hard at the way the new position framed his crotch.

_Astrals,_ he was useless.

“We both know that wasn’t going anywhere,” Gladio snorted. “Just because Prompto can’t tell she has a girlfriend, doesn’t mean I can’t either.”

“She- ah. That makes a lot of sense.” Casting his mind back, Ignis let the pieces fall into place for a moment before dragging the conversation back on track. “And the others?”

“What others?”

“Prompto and Noct were complaining that every time they turned a corner, you were there trying to pick up one woman or another.”

“So I made a couple friends,” Gladio shrugged. “Flirting’s fun, and it’s not like there was much else to do.”

Ignis would disagree with that, considering how full and tiring his own day had been, but he appreciated that the festival wasn’t exactly Gladio’s scene. Despite that, he’d put on a costume and spent most of the day out and about for Noctis’ sake, so Ignis couldn’t begrudge him for finding a way to make it more enjoyable for himself.

...Much.

“Well, I hope you had fun regardless,” Ignis said, firmly nodding his head. He needed a shower, a coffee and a lie-down, potentially not in that order. Despite the bare skin his outfit showed off, it wasn’t quite enough to tackle the stifling Lestallum heat.

Tilting his head, Gladio smiled softly and warmly, the kind if expression that always made Ignis’ stomach feel tight. It seemed more intimate than his usual wide grin, a little more _real,_ and Ignis loved it. “I did, it was honestly more fun than I expected. Yourself?”

Still flustered from the look on Gladio’s face, it took Ignis a moment to gather his thoughts. “I enjoyed myself. The food stalls were full of interesting things I’m fairly sure I can recreate, and I have to respect the way that the whole city is celebrating. And the high walk- I don’t think I’ve felt adrenaline like that in _years._ If that’s how Noct feels when he warps up high, like he’s flying above it all and nothing matters, I’m surprised he ever walks anywhere. I- sorry, I’m getting away from myself.”

“Don’t apologise,” Gladio immediately said. “I- you- did you know that your eyes crinkle and light up when you’re really excited about something?”

“I...wasn’t aware.” His cheeks were burning, and only years of practicing unflinching eye contact kept him from lowering his gaze in embarrassment.

“No, I just meant- oh, Bahamut,” Gladio groaned, running a hand through his hair. “You’ve looked stressed lately is all, which I mean, fair enough. I’m happy to see you happy.”

“Oh,” Ignis said. He couldn’t think of anything else to say, and instead busied himself with lifting the neck piece of his costume off. Gladio didn’t seem too interested in continuing the conversation either, which came as somewhat of a relief. Gently placing the collar aside, Ignis frowned as he wondered where to begin with the rest of the outfit.

Prompto had helped him put it on, and now he wasn’t quite sure how to take it off.

After a few moments of futile tugging, Gladio’s voice broke through Ignis’ concentration. “There’s a thingy at the back that should loosen things up a bit.”

“A _thingy,”_ Ignis said flatly, frustration beginning to creep into his tone. “That’s very specific, thank you.”

“It’s hard to explain. It’s like- here.”

“What?” Ignis said, but Gladio was already up and walking towards him.

“Do this,” Gladio said from behind him, his hand large and firm on the small of Ignis’ back, and Ignis’ spine went ramrod straight in response. “Shit, you’re carrying a lot of tension, aren’t ya.”

“I’ll get a massage next time we’re in Galdin Quay,” Ignis muttered, and the near-pornographic groan Gladio let out stole his breath away.

“That sounds _awesome,_ we gotta trick Noct into wanting to go out that way next.”

“We won’t be _tricking_ Noct into anything,” Ignis said, continuing to fumble with his costume.

“Don’t act like you don’t ever _encourage_ him to go places where you think there might be good ingredients,” Gladio said absently, his fingers flicking open the buckles and catches of Ignis’ costume. Their hands brushed a few times, each one making Ignis’ heart beat faster, and he had to step away before he leaned back into Gladio’s naked, broad chest.

With Gladio’s assistance the top half of the outfit fell away into a pile of material and belts, leaving Ignis standing there in only his boots and trousers. It was more than Gladio was wearing but he still felt bare, wondering what to do with his hands as he turned back to face Gladio.

“Fuck,” Gladio said, but before Ignis could ask there was a thick finger tracing a gentle line on his chest. “You got sunburnt.”

Staring wide-eyed at Gladio, Ignis barely processed the words. His skin was prickling and his nipples felt tight, and it was only after a few long moments of silence that Gladio realised what he was doing and snatched his hand back.

“Sorry, Iggy, I...I’ve got gel for that, if you like?” Now Gladio was the one with a red face, his hands stuffed into the pockets of his shorts, and the cogs were turning in Ignis’ head as he realised that he’d perhaps missed more than Cindy when it came to romantic inclinations.

“I’d appreciate that after a shower, thank you,” Ignis said. Gladio was suave, and he touched without care. The whole Amicitia family were far more tactile than Ignis was used to, but it wasn’t unappreciated and Gladio tended to revel in skin-on-skin contact.

The point being, Ignis had seen Gladio slap and poke Noctis and Prompto’s sunburns enough to know that his reaction to Ignis’ own hadn’t exactly been normal.

Still, he knew he could be wrong. He spent every day with Gladio, and this was the first inkling he was getting that Gladio didn’t only see him as a friend. His own ever-burning desire could easily have been coaxing him into seeing something that didn’t actually exist, but he didn’t think he was quite _that_ far into desperation.

“Say, Gladio?”

“Yeah?”

Taking a deep breath, Ignis fell back into that unflinching eye contact that either terrified people or gained their respect. “Why did you come back to the room alone?”

“I’m not going to fuck someone in a bed we’re sharing,” Gladio said, but Ignis didn’t think it felt sincere.

“You know that’s not what I meant,” he pushed. “There are few people here who would say no to you, and you certainly had no trouble meeting new ‘friends’. Why are you here alone, when we both know that your newfound lack of a love life is wearing on you?”

“It’s not the right time for that kind of petty crap,” Gladio protested, but Ignis shook his head.

“What better time than now? We won’t be leaving until the end of the festival, and for once we have some degree of freedom.”

Gladio visibly bit back his initial response, pulling himself up to his full height and reminding Ignis that even if he himself was taller and stronger than most, he had nothing on the King’s Shield.

It wasn’t intimidating, as such; it was actually kind of hot to the most shameless part of Ignis. But it reminded him that underneath it all, Gladio had an inner strength that went far beyond his physical stature, and his unbreakable spirit was one of the things that Ignis adored about him.

“What are you really asking, Iggy? I know you’re not interested in whether I’m getting laid or not.”

Wavering on whether to crack and admit everything, Ignis straightened his own shoulders and threw it all on the line for one last shot. “I’m curious as to why you didn’t take what was surely being offered to you. You’ve never been one to deny yourself.”

“You want to know?” Gladio said, closing the gap between their bodies. When Ignis instinctively stepped back, loathe to concede ground but not prepared to have their half-naked bodies pressed together, Gladio stepped forward in sync until the wall met Ignis’ back. “I thought I could do this.”

Sensing that it wasn’t the right moment to speak, Ignis kept his lips firmly shut while also refusing to be cowed by Gladio looming over him. He didn’t seem angry, but rather _conflicted._

“I was fully prepared to find myself a nice bright, bubbly, chesty woman,” Gladio said, his eyes flicking down to Ignis’s bare chest. “Not Cindy, obviously, but there was no shortage of incredible women around today.

“Unfortunately for me, though, there was one incredible _man_ who kept ruining my train of thought. Out there, running around with his incredible chest on show like he thought he was, well, _me._ Usually I can ignore him because he never seemed interested, but the way he wore his costume was the sexiest thing I’ve seen in forever.

The tips of Gladio’s fingers pressed lightly against Ignis’ unburnt side, spreading out against his ribs and making him shiver. Gladio was close, but not close enough that Ignis was trapped; not that he wanted to leave. Wrapping his fingers around Gladio’s wrist, Ignis could tell that he was expecting to be pushed away, but when Gladio’s hand shifted Ignis just pulled it more firmly against his skin.

“How do you think I feel all the time?” Ignis asked, his voice coming out lower than expected. “You’re always flaunting your body, and flirting with everyone we meet.”

“Didn’t take you for the jealous type.”

“I’m not,” Ignis said, hooking his hand around the back of Gladio’s neck and dragging him down for a kiss. It took Gladio a moment to get with the program, but as soon as he did Ignis found himself being pressed into the wall, Gladio’s bare chest up against his own.

Ignis could feel his burnt skin stinging where Gladio was touching it, but he didn’t have the slightest bit of brainpower to dedicate towards caring about that. Not when one of his hands was in damp hair and the other was rubbing the strong lines of Gladio’s neck and shoulder, holding him close as if Ignis never wanted to let him go.

Of course, Ignis’ phone chose that moment to start ringing, and Ignis mourned the loss of the warm hands on his body when Gladio quickly stepped back.

“That’s probably-”

“Noct, yeah,” Gladio nodded. “Answer it, it could be important.”

“We both know it won’t be,” Ignis laughed as he collected his phone from his pile of clothes, although he had to compose himself before he could answer. As expected, it was just Noct announcing that he and Prompto would find their own dinner and that they wouldn’t be back anytime soon, which certainly didn’t help in calming Ignis down.

By time he hung up, though, Gladio had drifted away and was standing there awkwardly, his hands back in his pockets and looking for all the world like a teenager on their first date. “So…”

“So?” Ignis laughed, putting his phone aside. Raising an eyebrow, he waited for Gladio to continue, hoping that his own nervousness wasn’t quite so obvious.

“I guess...tomorrow, if you want? We could do something?”

“We could,” Ignis nodded. “But what about tonight?”

“Aren’t the others coming back soon?” Gladio asked, his posture relaxing a little. “I don’t exactly feel like showing this off before we’ve even had our first date.”

“That’s reasonable, but Noct was calling to say they wouldn’t be back for a few more hours. So we’ve got this whole hotel room to ourselves.” Feeling anxious and bold all at once, Ignis couldn’t help but grin when Gladio’s whole face lit up.

“Oh, _do_ we now?” There was delicious, tantalising mischief in his eyes, and Ignis’ cock liked it a _lot._

“So if you’ve got any ideas about how we can entertain ourselves,” Ignis said, cocking his hip and making a show of looking Gladio up and down, “I’d be more than happy to hear it.”

“Sounds promising,” Gladio growled, and Ignis welcomed the lips that met his own again. He should probably have had more concerns about the changes their relationship would bring, but it didn’t fucking matter.

Right then and there, Gladio had his attention, and the unfettered joy of a realised crush was all that mattered.

He’d worry about the rest later.


	2. In The Regalia

“What, exactly, do you think you’re doing?”

“I’m not moving,” Prompto grumbled, curling up further along the back seat of the Regalia. He and Ignis had made it back to the car before Gladio and Noctis had, Gladio slowed down by Noctis’ stubborn insistence that he could walk on his own and his subsequent failure to do so. Gladio respected his determination, glad that his training had stuck, but it had definitely slowed them down a little.

Ignis was already in the driver’s seat with the heater running and Gladio didn’t have it in him to spend any more time trying to coax Prompto up. Instead he simply tossed Noctis on top of Prompto, the pair of them grumbling and accidentally elbowing each other in the face as they tried to share the seat, and took his own spot in the front of the car.

“That’s really not safe,” Ignis said as he glanced over his shoulder, but it was late and he didn’t seem to actually care that much.

“No worse than when Noct sits on the back of the seat,” Gladio pointed out, fumbling for the seat handle to give himself some extra leg room. He tended to sit behind Prompto because he had the shortest legs, but Gladio couldn’t handle being cramped up in the position that Prompto kept the seat in. “Where are we headed tonight?”

Giving up on any ideas to try and coax the other two upright and into their seatbelts, Ignis pulled out his phone and opened a map. “There’s a motel about twenty minutes down the road, only a little further than the nearest haven. I already called to reserve two rooms.”

“Two rooms, hey?” Gladio grinned, nudging his elbow into his boyfriend’s side. Ignis pushed him away but he was smiling, his eyes tired but bright behind his glasses.

“I booked two rooms so we could _sleep,_ Gladio. I’ll share with Noct if you’re not careful.”

“We both know you won’t, and that you’re lying,” Gladio said. Reaching over the centre console, he palmed the back of Ignis’ neck and briefly tried to soothe the tight muscles there. Ignis leaned back into the touch, his head rolling languidly, and they sat like that until Noctis piped up from the back.

“Are we gonna go, or are you two going to give each other handies until daemons come and eat us?”

Gladio laughed, looking back over his shoulder to wink at Noctis. “No need to be jealous that no one’s touching your dick.”

“See, you say that, but that’s only because you can’t tell where Prompto’s knee is right now.”

“S’ry,” Prompto mumbled, Gladio missing whatever happened next due to Ignis shrugging him off and starting the car properly. Turning back to Ignis, Gladio took the chance to properly examine his face, frowning at the dark circles under his eyes.

“You sure you’re okay to drive? I can take over if you’d like.”

“I’ll be fine,” Ignis reassured him, turning to flash Gladio a small but genuine smile. “Twenty minutes and we can be in bed.”

“Here’s hoping Noct’s snoring scares all the daemons away.”

“Fuck you,” Noctis grumbled, kicking the back of Gladio’s seat. Gladio cracked up laughing as Ignis pulled away from the roadside parking area, the quiet music coming from the stereo enough to drown out the worst of the back seat griping as Noctis and Prompto tried to get comfortable.

Leaning back in his seat, Gladio let himself relax enough to start zoning out, knowing that Ignis would alert him if anything was wrong. He probably should have been keeping an eye out for daemon activity, but it wasn’t as if it would be hard to spot gigantic, glowing creatures appearing in the vast expanse of darkness around them.

In any case, he was more content to watch Ignis as he drove, all single-minded concentration and focus. His lips pursed slightly every time he shifted gears, giving him a sexy, intense expression that Gladio _loved,_ and Gladio couldn’t remember why he didn’t sit in the front seat more often.

The dashboard lights bathed Ignis’ skin in a gentle glow, Gladio so distracted by the lights and shadows playing across Ignis’ jawline that he almost missed it when Ignis’ eyes slid towards him.

“Is there something on my face?” Ignis asked, eyes forward again.

Unable to resist, Gladio grinned. “Yeah, hang on, let me get it off.”

Swooping in and pressing his lips to Ignis’ jaw, Gladio laughed as Ignis shoved him away, making a dramatic show of flailing back.

“Wow, gay,” Prompto mumbled. Noctis giggled tiredly, and Gladio slowly turned around to raise his eyebrows at the pair of them, tangled up together along the back seat.

“What?” Prompto asked defensively, Gladio staring blankly at him for a few more moments before turning back around. He’d never been quite sure what was going on with those two, but he was pretty certain that Prompto had no room to talk.

“Gladio,” Ignis said quietly but firmly, “I need another pair of eyes in case of emergency.”

“Two perfectly good sets in the back,” Gladio grumbled. Still, he returned his focus to their surroundings, keeping his eyes open for daemons and his ears open for airships. He only had to concentrate for twenty minutes; he could do that easy.

...He lasted two.

In his defence, it wasn’t entirely his own fault. Or maybe it was, but who could blame him for getting distracted by the most beautiful man on Eos, sitting right there next to him? Maybe _that_ was why he didn’t sit in the front very often. And considering that the road ahead of them was long, straight and empty, there really was no good reason for Ignis to be keeping his long fingers splayed down the shaft of the gear stick. Speaking of-

“Where are your gloves?”

“Hmm?” Ignis said, his lips curling upwards. “Oh, they were dirty, so I took them off.”

The way Ignis palmed the knob at the end of the gear stick was positively indecent, and Gladio cleared his throat while trying not to shift in his seat. They hadn’t had any alone time in too long, and now he wasn’t even sure if Ignis was teasing him on purpose or if he was just that pent up.

Except, as he’d already figured out, there was no need for Ignis to be _fondling_ the gear stick when no gear changes were necessary.

“ _Ignis,”_ Gladio growled, earning himself a brief glance.

“Yes, my love?” Ignis said innocently, his thumb brushing over the top of the gear stick. He didn’t react to the snickers coming from the back seat, but even if he could forget they were there, Gladio really couldn’t.

“Don’t start,” was all he could say without giving himself away. Ignis let go of the godsdamned gear stick for long enough to affectionately rub his thumb along Gladio’s cheekbone, but his hand returned to its post soon enough.

“Wouldn’t dream of it.”

Stealing one last look at Ignis’ bare fingers, Gladio tried to think of something, _anything_ other than Ignis’ bare hand caressing a long, hard shaft-

And failed miserably.

Discreetly adjusting himself- although Ignis probably saw it because Ignis saw _everything-_ Gladio physically turned himself to look out the side window and tried not to feel like Ignis was laughing at him. He couldn’t hear any laughter, but he knew his boyfriend too well to think that Ignis wasn’t completely amused by the whole thing.

“You’re gonna get it tonight,” Gladio promised quietly enough for Ignis alone to hear. He cringed when Ignis turned the radio right down, the car going silent.

“Sorry, did you say something?”

Whipping around and narrowing his eyes at Ignis, Gladio wondered how far he was comfortable going. Ignis was only harmlessly teasing him, and the last thing he wanted to do was genuinely embarrass the love of his life in front of their closest friends; but he was too tired to think of anything witty to say, so he shrugged and went with a sanitised version of the truth.

“Nothing important. Thinking out loud about how stunning you look in the moonlight, and how much I love you.”

“Really, dude?” Noctis asked, accompanied by a slapping sound that Gladio assumed was Prompto hitting him.

“Get it, big guy!”

“Weren’t you whining about them before?” Noctis complained.

“Okay, but that was cute,” Prompto shot back, and Gladio wondered how they always seemed to have enough energy to bicker and wrestle. Tuning them out, he settled back down to watch Ignis again, both hands on the wheel and his face looking pink even in the dim light. He should have known that the way to beat Ignis was to play a completely different game, and it wasn’t like he had any shortage of sappy things to say about his boyfriend.

Turning the radio back up, Gladio let the rest of the drive pass in peace, the pair in the back settling down and Ignis occasionally shooting him small glances and shy smiles. No matter how many times Gladio told him he was beautiful and perfect and wonderful, Ignis reacted to each one like it was the first time he’d heard it.

In the end it barely took fifteen minutes to reach the motel, Gladio vaguely suspicious that Ignis might have bent the speed limits a little. He wasn’t about to complain, in any case, and he peered through the windshield at the place they were spending the night.

It didn’t look _too_ shabby, which meant it was definitely a step up from cramming the four of them into a caravan.

“Everybody out,” Ignis announced, although he was met with a lack of movement from the back. That problem was solved when he switched the car’s heating to cooling, Noctis and Prompto suddenly finding another reserve of energy that had them darting out of the car and into the hopefully heated motel lobby.

Walking around the car, Gladio glanced about and then wrapped Ignis in his arms, bringing his lips down to speak directly into Ignis’ ear.

“I meant what I said, by the way.”

“Which one? The line about me being stunning,” Ignis tripped over the last word, as if he didn’t really believe it, “or the quiet one where it seemed as if you implied that you’d make me come so hard my legs would give out?”

“Maybe not in so many words,” Gladio said, the fire reigniting in his belly, “but you’re the guy with the plans so I’ll defer to your _expertise.”_

“You know it,” Ignis said with a wink, his attitude back now that Gladio couldn’t keep making him blush in front of their friends. Squeezing Gladio’s ass with one hand, he wriggled out of the hug and walked off towards the motel, his gait definitely exaggerated to perfectly show off the long, slim lines of his legs and waist.

Maybe he was a teasing asshole, but he was _Gladio’s_ teasing asshole, and Gladio wouldn’t have him any other way.


	3. 新しいレシピー

This was, without a doubt, the worst idea Ignis had ever had.

It was underhanded and rude and most likely wouldn’t end well, but he’d tried everything else and had either lost his nerve or it had flown straight over Gladio’s head. Ignis supposed that was his own fault for always getting so tongue-tied around Gladio and not getting his words out right, although he really should have been able to do better.

In any case, Noctis had been quite gleeful in repeating all the rumours he’d heard about Gladio’s apparently quite active love life, and it was becoming painfully obvious that Ignis would lose his chance completely if he didn’t hurry up and grow a spine. He didn’t put much stock in gossip, but he’d personally witnessed the way women and men alike were completely entranced by Gladio; it wasn’t hard to believe that people were lining up to go out with him.

Shaking out his hands to stop them from trembling, Ignis took a deep breath and hit the call button on his phone, Gladio’s contact information being replaced by the dialling screen. 

“Hey Igs, what’s up?” Gladio answered, sounding as cheerful as ever. It made Ignis smile despite his nerves, and he took a deep breath.

“I was wondering if you’d like to come over to my apartment for dinner tonight?” When Gladio didn’t respond straight away, Ignis nervously babbled through the rest of his explanation. “I have some new recipes I’d like to try, and I thought you might like to help me test them out?”

“You know I’d never turn down a free feed, especially if you’re cooking. Why not do it at Noct’s, though?”

“Ah,” Ignis said, frantically searching for an excuse. Of course he didn’t want Noctis around while he was trying to spend _alone_ _time_ with Gladio, but he couldn’t bring himself to admit that. “I don’t need him to know how many vegetables I’m hiding in there. If I tell him to order a pizza, he’ll think it’s a reward.”

Gladio laughed, and Ignis was glad he couldn’t see the way Ignis’ cheeks went pink with pride. “The kid loves you, but he’d eat chicken nuggets for every meal if you let him. When do you want me?”

_ Always,  _ Ignis didn’t say. “Does seven work for you? I know you’re busy, so if it doesn’t I can-”

“Seven is great,” Gladio interrupted, giving Ignis time to take a breath. “Do you want me to bring anything?”

“The pleasure of your company is all I need,” Ignis said before he could stop himself. Luckily Gladio just laughed, sounding altogether too fond.

“Alright, I’ll see you later then. I’m looking forward to it.”

“Me too,” Ignis said with a smile, his heart pounding in his chest. “Have a good day, Gladio.”

“Likewise, Iggy.” The line went dead and Ignis slumped down in relief, unable to wipe the grin from his face. Step one was a success, and that was probably the hardest step of them all.

...Now he had to actually think up some new recipes.

* * *

Gladio was in a good mood as he wandered up to Ignis’ apartment, his stomach already rumbling at the thought of eating Ignis’ food. Jared’s cooking was top-notch, but there was something about having a cute guy cook for him that made Ignis’ food taste  _ better.  _

It felt especially good to have been invited to Ignis’ apartment, considering that Gladio knew how much Ignis valued his private space. He’d been there a few times but they tended to spend most of their time together at the Citadel or Noctis’ apartment. It felt...more  _ intimate  _ to be alone in Ignis’ apartment, and Gladio had to remind himself not to make it something more than it was.

Knocking on Ignis’ door, Gladio shifted on his feet as he waited impatiently. He’d rushed over from the gym to be a little early, knowing Ignis appreciated that, but now he was worried that he was _too_ early. Still, he plastered on a cocky smile to cover up his thoughts and slouched casually when the door started to open.

“Gladio, I’m glad you could make it,” Ignis said, Gladio looking him up and down and immediately feeling underdressed. Figuring it was a casual thing, he’d thrown on a clean Crownsguard singlet and jeans and tied his hair back, but there Ignis was in a perfectly pressed shirt and dress pants, looking like he’d stepped off the front cover of a fashion magazine.

Of course, Gladio thought Ignis looked like a model no matter what, considering his easy grace and obscenely long legs and slim waist and-

“Gladio?” Ignis asked, looking a little concerned. Realising he’d completely zoned out, Gladio laughed loudly and scratched at his scalp, holding out the bag he’d brought with him. 

“Sorry, got lost for a moment there. I know you said not to bring anything but I got you some wine.”

“You do remember I’m still underage for a few more months, right?” Ignis asked, stepped back and gesturing for Gladio to enter. He took the bag anyway, sliding the bottle out and giving an approving hum. “You have expensive taste.”

“Your cooking deserves it, and I won’t tell anyone about you drinking if you don’t tell anyone I bought it for you. Besides, gotta make the most of being twenty now,” Gladio said, slipping off his shoes and trying not to drool at the delicious smells filling the apartment.

Ignis laughed and stepped past Gladio, leading the way further into apartment. “You say that as if you’ve been asked for ID since you were, what, fifteen?” 

“Thirteen, actually,” Gladio said with a grin. It wasn’t something he’d tended to take advantage of, but no one expected the tall guy with the five o’clock shadow to be in junior high.

Entering the combined kitchen/dining room, Gladio stopped short when he saw the perfectly set table, complete with tablecloth, floral centrepiece, and enough cutlery to rival a royal dinner event. “Titan’s boulders, you went all out tonight.”

“Ah, well…” Ignis said, his shoulders stiffening.

“Feels like I’m on a date at a fancy restaurant.” Laughing quietly to himself, Gladio stepped around the table and wandered over to the stove, lifting the lid on one of the pots simmering there.

“Put that down,” Ignis said, Gladio reluctantly doing as asked and muting the spicy fragrance from whatever was in there. “If you wouldn’t mind opening the bottle, I’ll have the first course plated up in a moment.”

Taking the bottle back from Ignis and sorting through the perfectly-organised kitchen for a corkscrew, Gladio poured each of them a generous glass and took a seat when invited to. The wine didn’t exactly pair with the soup that Ignis put in front of him but Gladio had never really understood that concept anyway- the food was delicious and the wine went down nicely, so he figured everything was doing what it was supposed to.

They’d shared most of the bottle by the time the third course was done- the amazing spicy curry that Gladio had seen on the stove- and Gladio was feeling loose enough to stop hiding the way he was watching Ignis across the table. He wasn’t drunk, nor even really tipsy, but Ignis was smiling more freely and conversation was flowing even more naturally than usual.

They’d somehow gotten onto the subject of their childhoods, and Gladio was almost howling with laughter at Ignis’ masterful storytelling, right down to his impressions of Regis and Cor. Gladio finally got himself under control and emptied his glass, sitting back in his seat and letting himself really see how beautiful Ignis was when his face was lit up with laughter.

“You know,” Gladio said suddenly as a thought occurred to him. “I know I said this seemed like a fancy date, but I don’t think I’ve ever enjoyed a date this much.”

Ignis stammered, went bright red, and nearly knocked his knife to the floor, making Gladio freeze as the pieces started to click together.

The table setting that was over the top, even for Ignis.

Ignis’ outfit that was more suited for being out than for a night in his own home.

The fact that Noctis had been intentionally left out, when he was never left out of  _ anything. _

“Ignis,” Gladio said, and the fact that Ignis couldn’t meet his eyes was almost answer enough. “ _Is_ this a date?”

“I...uh...well…”

“Oh my gods, it is,” Gladio exclaimed, eyes wide. “I’m on a date with Ignis Scientia and I didn’t even know it.”

“I’m so sorry,” Ignis started again, but Gladio waved him down.

“Why didn’t you make it clear to my oblivious ass?”

“I…”

“I would’ve worn something nice! Brought flowers or something! Actually done my hair!”

“I...well…” Ignis stammered again, although this time Gladio let him take the time to put his thoughts back together. “I...kind of like the ponytail.”

“You do?” Gladio asked. Ignis nodded, and the pair of them just looked at each other for a long few moments, not quite sure what to say. Gladio swallowed hard, catching himself before he could nervously drum his fingers on the table, and he forced himself to speak.

“So...the dating thing.”

“I’ve tried to ask you before, but I get too nervous,” Ignis admitted, his eyes briefly flicking up to meet Gladio’s before looking away. “I thought once I...well, to be honest, I didn’t actually know what I’d do after you were here.”

“Not like you to be so unprepared,” Gladio said. He was still thrown off from apparently having been on a date that he hadn’t even known was a date, but if there was one thing he was good at it was going with the flow. “I would’ve said yes if I’d known. Just so you’re aware.”

“Oh,” Ignis said, his whole mood visibly lifting. “Like I said, I’m sorry about the...subterfuge.”

“If eating delicious food with a beautiful guy counts as subterfuge, you can subterfuge me any day.”

“That’s definitely not proper usage, but...I’m glad to hear it.” Ignis was fiddling with his wine glass, a faint smile on his lips, and Gladio knew there was only one thing to do.

“So, Iggy?”

“Yes?” Ignis asked, his head shooting up and the glass wobbling dangerously between his long fingers that always drove Gladio to distraction.

“Do you wanna go on a date with me?”

Ignis was silent for a few moments but then he let go of his tension and relaxed, his genuine, dorky smile brightening his whole face. “I’d love to. But as long as you’re here, would you like dessert?”

Gladio wiggled his eyebrows suggestively and had a napkin thrown at him in response, Ignis looking appropriately flustered. “I mean actual dessert, not whatever you’re thinking.”

“Shame,” Gladio said with an exaggerated sigh. “But yeah, I’d like that.”

As fun as it was to throw Ignis off his rhythm, it was better to see him smile like he’d never been happier, and Gladio couldn’t help but grin back with his heart full of warmth and love. By Shiva, he was _so glad_ that Noctis and Prompto weren’t there to tease him about how sappy he was, but that was what Ignis did to him.

Gladio wouldn’t have it any other way.


	4. Formal Event

“Can you believe it’s been a year?”

“Feels kinda like it’s been a week and a century all at once since…” Gladio trailed off. It wasn’t hard for Ignis to fill in the blank: Since it ended. Since the sun rose again.

Since Noctis died.

The familiar ache flared up but Ignis swallowed it back down, reaching out for where he knew he’d stored his robes instead. Gladio assured him they were slightly different to the ones the council had worn before everything had fallen apart, but it still felt like he was stepping into shoes that he wasn’t ready to fill.

At least they weren’t required to be visible very often, usually only for formal events related to the rebuilding of Insomnia as a central hub of power. They had to make a strong impression, even as their cobbled-together government wavered on the inside: just in case what remained of Niflheim decided to try and finish the job.

And if there was one thing Ignis could do, it was put on a brave face for the outside world.

“Here,” he said, holding his pile of robes out in Gladio’s general direction. “Make yourself useful.”

“Oi, I’m plenty useful,” Gladio laughed, although he took the robes from Ignis’ hand. Even without his sight, Ignis didn’t need help getting dressed, but he loved the intimacy that followed having Gladio’s hands on him, soothing away his doubts and making him feel like someone who could stand in front of the city- and beyond- and be a beacon of strength for the rebuilding efforts.

Gladio stepped up behind him, not quite touching him but close enough that Ignis could tell he was there. There was the sound of heavy fabric being placed down and then warm hands were on Ignis’ hips, sliding under his shirt and lingering there for a moment before pulling the shirt up.

“Arms,” Gladio said, low and quiet and right into Ignis’ ear, and Ignis lifted his arms so his shirt could be completely removed. Gladio’s lips briefly pressed against his neck, right below his ear, and Ignis had to force himself to keep his breathing steady. Gladio was getting him ready to go out; they couldn’t afford to be late because Ignis couldn’t keep his libido in check.

That struggle wasn’t the only thing that got a little harder when Gladio moved onto his pants, letting them fall to the ground and moving back slightly so that Ignis could step out of them and kick them aside. He’d worry about the mess later: it wasn’t like he had to see it, after all.

Gladio was obviously distracted by the sight of Ignis standing there in his underwear and so Ignis cleared his throat, hearing Gladio laugh quietly behind him. “We don’t have all day, you know.”

“Then it’s a good thing we’ll have all night.” Punctuating it with a light pinch of Ignis’ ass that made him jump a little, Gladio sorted through the pile of clothes until he found Ignis’ under layers. It most definitely would have been quicker for Ignis to dress himself, considering how much time Gladio spent feeling him up and murmuring compliments rather than just getting on with it, but Ignis wasn’t about to turn down the opportunity for hearing about how beautiful Gladio thought he was and how much Gladio loved him.

Putting his clothes _on_ shouldn’t have felt so much like foreplay, and yet…

Gladio smoothed Ignis’ undershirt into place with a hand that lingered over his abs, teasing a little too low to be decent for a too-brief moment, and Ignis let himself rest back against Gladio’s familiar, comforting bulk. There were few people he trusted to have at his back, especially when he couldn’t keep an eye on them, but he knew he’d always be safe with Gladio there.

It was a disappointment when Gladio had to move away to grab the heavy robe that made up the bulk of Ignis’ outfit, the collar high and stuff and (slightly) less uncomfortable than it looked. Gladio’s gentle fingers swept Ignis’ loose hair out of the way, the motion filled with love and care, and Ignis tried not to slump his shoulders when the heavy robe was wrapped around him.

If there was anything that felt like having the weight of the world pressing him down, it was that _fucking_ robe.

But he’d wear it, with Gladio on one side and Prompto on the other, helping to move forward the light that Noctis had started. A shared burden, but one that none of them would ever turn their back on.

“Thank you,” Ignis murmured once the robe was in place, Gladio’s arms still around him from doing up the fasteners. There was no way Gladio could kiss his neck with the high collar in the way, so he pressed his lips to the top of Ignis’ head.

“You’re welcome,” Gladio said into Ignis’ hair. “Do me next?”

“That’ll have to wait or else we’ll be late,” Ignis said, grinning despite the obviousness of the joke. “I can fix your hair for you, though.”

“Ha, ha,” Gladio said sarcastically, squeezing Ignis’ hip. “Don’t know why I love you, your jokes are _awful.”_

“I am the epitome of grace, charm and wit, and you know it.” Flicking the ends of his hair, Ignis turned in Gladio’s arms and put a hand on his bare chest, feeling the way Gladio’s heart pushed a steady beat against his hand. “I love you.”

The rhythm sped up slightly when he said it, even though they’d been telling each other that for over a decade, and Ignis smiled as he pressed his forehead to Gladio’s shoulder. Gladio’s hand smoothed over his hair and ran down his back, the sensation disappointingly muted by the thick fabric draped over Ignis’ body, but it made him feel lighter regardless.

It wasn’t going to be an easy night, but he’d stand there and do what he had to.

For Gladio, who he loved more than he’d thought was possible.

For Prompto, who had become such an integral part of their lives that Ignis couldn’t imagine being without him.

For Noctis, whose presence Ignis felt in every sunrise, and who had given everything so the rest of them could live.

Ignis would do everything for them, and more.

**Author's Note:**

> Come see me on [Tumblr](http://socialdegenerate.tumblr.com) or [Twitter](http://twitter.com/socialdegener8)


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